warehouse and ducked into cover, quite breathless with anticipation.
The men departed with the bale, and a few moments later one of them reappeared and doused the lamp by the door. He departed again, and Beth heard the door close with a bang and then a key grating in the lock. The cart rumbled away and an uneasy silence settled. Beth gazed around fearfully. She had last seen Adam being carried into the office, and moved carefully across to the inner door and opened it, her teeth clenched, her nerves taut. But the office was deserted, and she looked around in disbelief.
Where was Adam? She would have to check the cavern. Taking up the nearby lantern, she went to the door that gave access to the cavern.
The panel opened easily and she summoned up the last vestiges of nerve and strength. Descending the steps, she reached the cavern without incident and immediately saw Adam lying on a low stack of bales. Bound tightly, he was looking in her direction, his gaze attracted by the light of the lantern she was carrying. Beth uttered a cry of relief and hurried to his side.
There was a smear of blood on Adam’s right temple. His face was pale and he seemed to be on the point of collapse. Beth untied him with difficulty for he had been bound with a length of tarred rope. She chattered nervously, telling him everything that had happened to her since he dived into the pool. When his hands were free, Adam sat up and grasped Beth in his arms. She clung to him, her relief overwhelming, and tears coursed down her cheeks as a nervous reaction seized her.
‘Beth, once again you’ve saved me. I was saying my prayers, for Cresse has threatened to kill me on his return. I had given up because I’ve pushed myself to the limit of my strength. But seeing you has given me fresh power. How is it that you have walked down here without hindrance?’
As Beth explained, Adam arose and looked around. He picked up a short length of wood, his eyes filled with a determined glitter.
‘This will have to do,’ he mused. ‘But if only I had a pistol, I’d give Cresse his ticket to oblivion when he returns.’
‘Wait.’
Beth took the lantern and led him to the spot where she had hidden his coat and boots. He smiled as he took his pistol from the pocket of the coat.
‘I thought my last moments had come several times since I left you in here, Beth,’ he observed.
‘I thought you had drowned. I still can’t believe you got out through the cave and made it to the shore.’
‘That was the worst experience I ever had. Now I’m ready to fight. But I must get you out of here, Beth. Let’s go up to the warehouse.’
Beth had no intention of leaving his side, although she said nothing. Adam took the lantern and they ascended the steps. The warehouse was silent and still when they reached it.
‘Beth, I want to wait here for Cresse. You’ll have to stay in the office until I’ve dealt with him. I heard him say he was coming back.’
‘No, Adam. I’m not letting you out of my sight now. Give me that piece of wood and I’ll stand by you.’
Admiration showed in Adam’s eyes but he shook his head. He set the lantern on a crate near the door and checked his pistol.
‘All we can do now is wait,’ he said firmly.
Beth pushed herself into his arms, closed her eyes, and rested her weight against him. She was utterly exhausted, and Adam kissed her.
‘We may be in for a long wait,’ he observed. ‘It will take my father another hour to get here. Why don’t you lie down on one of those bales and try to sleep? And you’ll be out of the way if Cresse shows up.’
‘I couldn’t sleep,’ she protested. ‘Just hold me, Adam. I need to be comforted now. During all the weeks I’ve waited for your return, I never imagined we would have to go through such an ordeal as this, and I hope never to see Jonah Peake again.’
‘Peake is finished,’ Adam said confidently. ‘We have the proof of his guilt all around us.’
He leaned against a
The men departed with the bale, and a few moments later one of them reappeared and doused the lamp by the door. He departed again, and Beth heard the door close with a bang and then a key grating in the lock. The cart rumbled away and an uneasy silence settled. Beth gazed around fearfully. She had last seen Adam being carried into the office, and moved carefully across to the inner door and opened it, her teeth clenched, her nerves taut. But the office was deserted, and she looked around in disbelief.
Where was Adam? She would have to check the cavern. Taking up the nearby lantern, she went to the door that gave access to the cavern.
The panel opened easily and she summoned up the last vestiges of nerve and strength. Descending the steps, she reached the cavern without incident and immediately saw Adam lying on a low stack of bales. Bound tightly, he was looking in her direction, his gaze attracted by the light of the lantern she was carrying. Beth uttered a cry of relief and hurried to his side.
There was a smear of blood on Adam’s right temple. His face was pale and he seemed to be on the point of collapse. Beth untied him with difficulty for he had been bound with a length of tarred rope. She chattered nervously, telling him everything that had happened to her since he dived into the pool. When his hands were free, Adam sat up and grasped Beth in his arms. She clung to him, her relief overwhelming, and tears coursed down her cheeks as a nervous reaction seized her.
‘Beth, once again you’ve saved me. I was saying my prayers, for Cresse has threatened to kill me on his return. I had given up because I’ve pushed myself to the limit of my strength. But seeing you has given me fresh power. How is it that you have walked down here without hindrance?’
As Beth explained, Adam arose and looked around. He picked up a short length of wood, his eyes filled with a determined glitter.
‘This will have to do,’ he mused. ‘But if only I had a pistol, I’d give Cresse his ticket to oblivion when he returns.’
‘Wait.’
Beth took the lantern and led him to the spot where she had hidden his coat and boots. He smiled as he took his pistol from the pocket of the coat.
‘I thought my last moments had come several times since I left you in here, Beth,’ he observed.
‘I thought you had drowned. I still can’t believe you got out through the cave and made it to the shore.’
‘That was the worst experience I ever had. Now I’m ready to fight. But I must get you out of here, Beth. Let’s go up to the warehouse.’
Beth had no intention of leaving his side, although she said nothing. Adam took the lantern and they ascended the steps. The warehouse was silent and still when they reached it.
‘Beth, I want to wait here for Cresse. You’ll have to stay in the office until I’ve dealt with him. I heard him say he was coming back.’
‘No, Adam. I’m not letting you out of my sight now. Give me that piece of wood and I’ll stand by you.’
Admiration showed in Adam’s eyes but he shook his head. He set the lantern on a crate near the door and checked his pistol.
‘All we can do now is wait,’ he said firmly.
Beth pushed herself into his arms, closed her eyes, and rested her weight against him. She was utterly exhausted, and Adam kissed her.
‘We may be in for a long wait,’ he observed. ‘It will take my father another hour to get here. Why don’t you lie down on one of those bales and try to sleep? And you’ll be out of the way if Cresse shows up.’
‘I couldn’t sleep,’ she protested. ‘Just hold me, Adam. I need to be comforted now. During all the weeks I’ve waited for your return, I never imagined we would have to go through such an ordeal as this, and I hope never to see Jonah Peake again.’
‘Peake is finished,’ Adam said confidently. ‘We have the proof of his guilt all around us.’
He leaned against a
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